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| Diezani Alison-Madueke |
The United States government has returned $52.88 million linked to Nigeria’s former Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke. The money was recovered from assets known as the Galactica assets, which were seized from Alison-Madueke and her associates.
The US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr., and Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, signed the Asset Return Agreement on Friday at the Ministry of Justice in Abuja.
Attorney-General Fagbemi described the event as a major step in President Bola Tinubu’s fight against corruption. He said the funds would be used for projects that promote Nigeria’s development.
Out of the returned money, $50 million will be used for the Rural Electrification Project, focusing on renewable energy in Nigeria. The remaining $2.88 million will support the International Institute for Justice’s efforts to strengthen counter-terrorism and the rule of law in Africa.
Fagbemi assured that strict measures have been put in place to ensure the funds are used transparently. The World Bank and the International Institute for Justice will oversee the projects, with regular reports sent to both Nigeria and the US.
Ambassador Mills expressed confidence in the Nigerian government’s ability to use the funds properly. He said, “We returned nearly $53 million of funds taken from Nigeria to benefit the Nigerian people. This agreement highlights our joint commitment to fight corruption and recover stolen funds.”
He added that the US would not have returned the money if they were not confident it would be used for the good of Nigerians.
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